Potential of silicon fertilization in the resistance of chestnut plants toink disease(Phytophthora cinnamomi)

Abstract

The European chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) is a specie with great economic importance in Europe that have been present for thousands of years. In Portugal, the chestnut helps to maintain a positive trade balance, by contributing to the gross national product (GDP). One of the biggest threats for the chestnut is the ink disease caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi, this disease is problematic to chestnut crop with a damaging impact. Silicon (Si) is classified as a beneficial nutrient, having the ability to make plants more resistant to attacks by pathogens. Studies on the effect of silicon on chestnut are practically non-existent, so the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of silicon in the resistance of chestnut plants to P. cinnamomi. The plants were treated by 0 mM, 5 mM, 7.5mM and 10 mM SiK ® with the analyzed mad at 0, 15 and 30 days after inoculation by P. cinnamomi. These findings showed that the Si-treated plants had higher survival rate resulted from the presence of phytoliths in root tissues, that acted as a mechanical barrier reducing the development of pathogenic structures and they arealso associated with the improvement on antioxidant activity through the increase of CAT and SOD, higher values of total phenols compounds and less oxidative damage. The presence of Si in PDA medium reduced the growth of P. cinnamomi all over the time, presenting high PI. This work shows that the Si fertilization in chestnut plants contributes to increase the resistance against P. cinnamomi infection.

Stress Oxidative Evaluation on SiK®-Supplemented Castanea sativa Mill. Plants Growing Under High Temperature

“…The accumulation of leaf Si still was improved on the B-32°C phase, with an increase of 314%, 439%, and 568% on 5 mM, 7.5 mM, and 10 mM SiK®, relatively to control. The present findings show that there was a positive relationship between SiK® content in fertilization and the leaf content of Si, indicating that the chestnut species is a siliceous species, as was also suggested by Carneiro- Carvalho et al (2017).…”

Productivity, chemical composition and sensory quality of “Martaínha” chestnut variety treated with Silicon

“…Three treatments were carried out: Ctrees didn't receive any potassium silicate (SiK®); SS and SL -15 L of SiK® at 10 mM SiK® concentration was respectively applied: to the soil or sprayed directly to the leaves. The SiK® solution was prepared in the laboratory according to Carneiro-Carvalho et al (2017) and after was adjusted the solution to pH 6.9 using 30 M hydrochloric acid (HCl). The SiK® concentration used was the one that presented the best results in previous studies (Carneiro -Carvalho et al, 2017).…”

“…The SiK® solution was prepared in the laboratory according to Carneiro-Carvalho et al (2017) and after was adjusted the solution to pH 6.9 using 30 M hydrochloric acid (HCl). The SiK® concentration used was the one that presented the best results in previous studies (Carneiro -Carvalho et al, 2017).…”

Metalaxyl-M, phosphorous acid and potassium silicate applied as soil drenches show different chestnut seedling performance and protection against Phytophthora root rot

“…Although the effectiveness of silicon (Si) in the control of plant diseases, as well as its mode of action, are not very well understood. Carneiro-Carvalho et al (2017) reported that Si appears to be a possible inducer of resistance to P. cinnamomi in chestnut trees. Previous in vitro studies, performed by Kaiser et al (2005), also found that 5 ml soluble Si per litre of agar inhibited the growth of P. cinnamomi by 100%.…”